IICM Advisors

The Advisory Board is an international network of leaders who have agreed to give the IICM feedback and help on a periodic basis in areas related to the law, technology, missions strategy, missional thinking, missional arts, church planting, ethnic ministry, multicultural ministry, evangelism and discipleship. Individuals were selected because their practical experience, knowledge, and expertise are needed in some ongoing initiative of IICM.

The Advisory Board advises the Executive Director, Associate Executives and Board of Directors on issues that impact the decision-making process and staff operations. Some questions will be addressed to the whole group, however in other cases, individual members will be asked for feedback.

Two groups of individuals form the IICM Advisory Board. The first group are those among our Partners who have volunteered to give feedback and be a sounding board. The second group are those other individuals who provide Perspectives on various issues that the staff face in their work Intercultural Institute for Contextual Ministry currently has a small paid staff working out of a main office in North Augusta, South Carolina. Some contract staff work from other states. Everyone else involved with IICM are volunteers, including members of the Board of Directors.

Missional Advisors

Dr. Alan Avera

Dr. Alan Avera is the Executive Director, of Christianity Explored Ministries USA where his primary task is to establish a base for ministry to support and equip North American churches for evangelism. He previously served as the Executive Director of Outreach North America, the agency of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church charged with the responsibility for denominational programs of evangelism, multi-cultural ministries, renewal, and church development. Its purpose is to work with its presbyteries to introduce people to Jesus Christ. ONA’s board is charged by the General Synod of the ARP Church with planting and renewing churches in the United States and Canada.

Rev. Artie Davis is the founding pastor of Cornerstone Community Church, an international multi-site & multi-ethnic church with locations in Orangeburg, SC & Liberia, West Africa. He is the founder and director of the Comb Network, a church planting movement called to partner and plant “life-giving” & “ethnically reflective” churches in smaller cities & communities. Artie is also the executive director of TheSticks, a national gathering movement for leaders and pastors in smaller cities. Internationally, Artie is co-founder of Think Liberia (USA), a partnering organization that helps meet physical, medical and spiritual needs of those in the West African nation of Liberia. Prior to launching Cornerstone, Artie was a successful entrepreneur. He is a graduate of Columbia International University.

Rev. Mark Custalow is the Multiplying Team Leader for the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia where he leads their church planting efforts across the state and Washington, DC. Previously he served in Montana as a Native American pastor and planter and State Language Missionary. He served as a Multi-Ethnic church planting strategist with the North American Mission Board as well as roles in the Mentoring and Enlistment Teams in church planting.

Rev. Robert Goette currently serves as the Church Planting Coordinator for the Chicago Metro Baptist Association. He also serves as the Director of ScatterUs Ministries which provides Church Planting Movement Tracking Systems to about two-thirds of the state conventions of the Southern Baptist Convention to assist them in tracking all of their church planting activities. English-speaking Asian American ministry is his speciality. He has an M.Div from Southwestern and a Th.M in Missiology from the Asian Center for Theological Studies & Mission in Seoul, Korea.

Dr. Rafael Hernandez

Dr. Rafael Hernandez is the Executive Director of the Southeastern New England Baptist Association in Warwick, RI. He is responsible for developing and casting vision for the association, and managing all aspects of strategy development for the planting of new congregations, the strengthening of already existing churches, developing indigenous leaders, budget development and implementation, and supervision of volunteer personnel. His ministry includes the development of networks and partnerships with individuals and organizations engaged in similar activities throughout the region and the country. Dr. Hernandez graduated from the University of Maine with a B.S. in Business Administration, an MPS in Theology from the New York Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from the Andover Newton Theological School.

Rev. Derek Mathers

Rev. Derek Mathers is the Lead Pastor and Team Leader at Church of St. Luke Lutheran in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Church at St. Luke Lutheran is a multi-ethnic, multicultural congregation that is empowering its laity through APEPT Missionality to reach their community. Derek has been at St. Luke’s for more than ten years and he’s also pastored in Beamsville and Mitchell, Saskatchewan. In 2009 Derek celebrated twenty-five years in mission/ministry. His life has been about reaching people outside the kingdom of God, specifically in what he has come to understand is an intercultural setting. This is his third congregation as he believes that one must have a long-term presence to bear fruit that will last. Previously he had been involved in youth mission focused endeavours during the first ten years of his ministry. Arriving in Toronto to work in mission with the current congregation he serves, God is opening doors for mission that are simply extraordinary. St. Luke Lutheran is a healthy congregation that entered a revitalization process because they want to do more to bring Jesus to people across their neighbourhood. They are a pregnant congregation, looking for God’s timing on when to birth. According to the APEPT Missionality™ Personal Role Index Derek is gifted as an Apostolic Evangelist. This is seen in his leadership of a staff team made up of individuals from many different regions of our world.

Dr. David Michel

Dr. David Michel serves as the Associate Executive Director for Missions Strategy for the 2000 congregations affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board in Jackson, MS. In this capacity, Dr. Michel also functions as the liaison officer for 65 associational missions directors; as a regional strategy consultant for the North American Mission Board, SBC; and as a missions funding leader for church stewardship development and unified mission support giving. He serves as an adjunct professor at the Leavell College of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Jackson campus. Previously he was pastor for eight years of the Prentiss Baptist Church in Prentiss, Mississippi before coming to the State Convention. He has also served as interim pastor to several churches across the state of Mississippi. David was first called to preach while a student athlete at Mississippi State University in 1970. Upon graduation he studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, from which he earned a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Ministry.

Rev. Matt Flindt

Rev. Matt Flindt is the Mnister of Education/Administration at Central Baptist Church in Owasso, OK where he is leading the implementation of APEPT Missionality. Missional Respone Team are beng developed to penetrate a shopping area, a sports arena, a skate park, and a biker hang-out.

Dr. Wayne Faison serves as the Team Leader of the Courageous Churches Team at the Virginia Baptist Mission Board in Richmond, Virginia. Previous to his ministry at VBMB, he was a senior pastor in Florida and a Vice President, Commercial Banker and Investment Officer at Florida banks. His education includes a B.S. in Mathematics; an M.Div from the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth at Southern Seminary; and a D.Min. in Black Church Leadership also at Southern Seminary.

Rev. David Ortigoza is serving as associate pastor of Hispanic Ministry at Memorial United Methodist Church and previously served as the pastor of the Cole Memorial Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC. He has also served as the Director of the Latino Ministry for the Southeastern District of the United Methodist Church. Previously he served as the General Secretary of the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Latin America and the Caribbean (“CIEMAL”, Consejo de Iglesias Evangélicas Metodistas de América Latina y el Caribe) in Bolivia. As part of the training program sponsored by CIEMAL, he was professor of ELADE (Escuela Latinoamericana de Evangelización / Latin American School of Evangelism) ministering in the countries that pertain to the regions of Meso America, the Andes, the Southern Cone and the Caribbean. In Panama, he was a missionary with GBGM and was appointed as pastor of the Methodist Church El Salvador, Pedregal. He was chaplain of the Panamerican Institute and then elected as national Secretary of Life and Mission of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Panama; later he was elected as Superintendent of the City of Panama District, Panama. In Río de Janeiro, Brazil, he pastored the Methodist congregations of São Joao de Meriti, Coelho da Rocha, Central do Povo, Tijuca e Catedral do Catete. He was responsible for the coordination of the Department of Chaplain for the Bennett Methodist University, was member of the Directive Council of Bennett Methodist University, and professor of the Methodist Seminary Cesar Dacoso Filho (preaching, contemporary theology and evangelization). For eight consecutive years he was the Secretary of the Methodist Conference of Rio de Janeiro. He graduated with a degree in Pastoral Theology from the Methodist University of San Pablo, Brazil and was ordained as an elder by the Methodist church of Brazil, in the First Ecclesiastical Region, Río de Janeiro. After completing theological studies, he also completed a course of professional formation in Social Communication, in the area of Journalism with a specialty in radio and television, and a course in Administrative Education. Later while living in Canada, he took additional master's level courses while serving as Associate Pastor of the Evangelical Nazarene Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Born in Brazil, he is the son of a family of Methodist pastors.

Rev. Mark Powers

Rev. Mark Powers is the director of worship and music for the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and the director of the South Carolina Singing Churchmen, a choral group composed of church musicians from across the state. Mark served for 27 years as a full-time Music Minister in four SC congregations from small to large. A graduate of Furman University and Southern Seminary in Louisville KY, Mark has directed music groups of all varieties, leading in all styles of worship through directing, singing, and playing guitar and saxophone.

Dr. Gary Swafford directs the Office of Associational Missions & Church Planting for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions in Montgomery, Alabama where he serves 3300 churches. One of his major responsibilities is to give statewide leadership in helping churches and associations in developing and implementing a strategy for the starting of new congregations. Previously he was the administrator of the Baptist Mission in Malawi, Africa and also pastored churches in Tennessee and Oklahoma.

Rev. Wayne Terry is the Associate Executive for the Multiplication Team at the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Previously he served as church planter, church planting strategist and church planter team leader in South Carolina and Tennessee and as a Pastor and Associate Pastor of churches in Florence and Spartanburg, South Carolina. Rev. Terry has also served as the President of the North American Church Planting Fellowship. He completed a B.S. in Psychology from Wofford College and a M.Div. from Southern Seminary.

Dr. Linda Bergquist has been a church planting missionary with the North American Mission Board for 15 years, and has been involved in church planting for three decades. She completed a B.A. in Sociology at the Univeristy of California, San Diego; a MDiv in Missions at Southwestern Seminary; and a DMin in Missions Administration at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary where she has served as an adjunct professor for ten years. Linda and her husband live in San Francisco where they engage their city together. She is the co-author of Church Turned Inside Out: A Guide for Designers, Refiners, and ReAligners, and has also written numerous articles and guest blogs on subjects such as various people groups, justice issues and urban church planting.

As a missional artist in Paris, France, David is a freelance composer, writer/poet and occasional guerrilla labyrinth artist. He also serves as the communications coordinator for La Fonderie, a gallery / performance space which seeks to encourage up-and-coming artists of all types. With his wife, Sanan and four daughters, he has lived and worked in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Guadeloupe, French West Indies; and Montréal, Québec.

Dr. Carol Causey joined the staff of the Woman’s Missionary Union, Auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention, in January 1986 where she serves as the Director of the Missions Resource Center. In her position, Causey manages product and curriculum planning and production, field services, resource development, volunteer ministries, marketing and promotion. Previously she served as the Editorial Department Director, the Magazines Editorial Director & Group Manager, the Churchwide Specialists Group manager, Training Design Group Manager and Training designer at the WMU. She has also served as a Teaching Fellow at Southwestern Seminary and Associate Media Minister at Broadway Baptist, Fort Worth, TX. She received a B.A. from West Texas State University, a MRE and PhD from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Dr. Leroy Gainey began teaching at Golden Gate Seminary in 1987. He currently holds the JM Frost Chair for Educational Leadership. Prior to coming to Golden Gate, Gainey was senior pastor at Central Baptist Church, Syracuse, New York, and a church planter in New Jersey. He is presently pastor of First Baptist Church in Vacaville, California, a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural church in Solano county northeast of the San Francisco Bay area. Dr. Gainey has a B.A. from Clark-Atlanta University, an M.Div. from Morehouse School of Religion, and a Ph.D. from Syracuse University.

Dr. Ehud Garcia is the Minister of Education and Missions at RiverCity Church in Lewiston, Idaho, a congregation of Lifelinks International Fellowship and founding Director of the Diaspora Intercultural Academy. He has served as an evangelist, a pastor, seminary professor and a missionary in his home country of Brazil as well as Canada, Russia, and the United States. He pursued his theological training in Recife, Brazil, at the Northern Presbyterian Seminary (1979-1982), an institution of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil. After serving at the West Goiânia Presbytery in Goiânia, he and his wife Neiva left for the United States to pursue further studies at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he obtained two graduate degrees, a Th.M. in Missiology ('87) and a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies ('01), both degrees majoring in Mission Theology, Church Growth, and Leadership. Ehud has extensive cross-cultural experience including working in the Amazon, in Sertânia and Lajedo, Pernambuco State, and in Monteiro, Paraíba State in Brazil. He founded the Ebenezer Portuguese Fellowship in Glendale, California and served as the Professor of Intercultural Studies at Prairie Graduate School, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In the past few years, he has been providing training, leadership consultation and research in Brazil, Canada, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Mozambique, Kenya, and Russia.

Dr. George W. Garner is the Director of the Rural Missional Leadership Greenhouse, a multi-faceted ministry to strengthen Town and Country churches. Previously he served as the Consultant for Rural Church Planting Strategies at the North American Mission Board, SBC. He has also served as the State Director of Missions for the Utah-Idaho Southern Baptist Convention, the Church Planting Strategist for the Mile High Baptist Association in Denver, and as the Associational Director of Missions for PLatte Valley Association in Eastern Colorado. Dr. Garner has pastored churches in Rhode Island, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas. He has a B.A. from Baylor University, an M.Div. from Southwestern Seminary, an M.A. from Texas A&M University at Commerce, and a D.Miss. from Southern Seminary.

As managing partner at Engage Worldwide --a branding firm specializing in name development, Jeff Hathcock works with Fortune 500 giants including: AT&T, Del Monte, DuPont, Epson, Goodyear, HP, OI, Merck, and Tyson Foods. Branding names he has created include Wisp from Colgate, and PepsiMax from Pepsi. As Vice-President of Addision Whitney, an international image and identity firm, he developed many top branded identities such as the Pontiac Sunfire and Epson Stylus. Jeff was ordained by Next Level Church of Stallings, NC and has served as a church planter and Development Coordinator of Outreach North America of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. For the last eight years he has brought his expertise to church revitalization, planter assessment, and individual pastoral coaching. As the Barstool Pastor his ministry began by simply sitting on a barstool telling people about Jesus in Charlotte area bars. Today he has an active ministry reaching non-church attenders through his Sunday service at Harvey's Bar and Grill in Huntersville, NC and his online TV show on the Peoples TV Network Inspirational Channel 5.

Dr. Edwin Hernández is a senior program officer for research, education, and congregational initiatives at the DeVos Family Foundations. He also serves as a research fellow with the Center for the Study of Latino Religion at the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame. A sociologist of religion with a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University, his research has focused on Latino religious experience, theological education, congregational studies, and the role of religious leaders in sustaining the life and commitment of socially-engaged congregations. His most recent publications include Bendito Amor (‘Blessed Love’): Religion and Relationships among Married and Unmarried Latinos in Urban America (2010), Helping Hands: The Health of Latino/a Churchgoers and Health Outreach among Latino Congregations in Chicago (2010), Gathering of Hope: How Religious Congregations Contribute to the Quality of Life in Kent County (2008) and the edited book Emerging Voices, Urgent Choices: Essays on Latino/a Religious Leadership (2006).

Dr. George G. Hunter (PhD, Northwestern University) is Dean of the E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism and Distinguished Professor, Emeritus of Asbury Theological Seminary. He has published more than a dozen books dealing with evangelism, mission, church growth, ministry and emerging ways of "doing church." His works include The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West Again and The Apostolic Congregation. Dr. Hunter has led seminars for more than 30 denominations in more than 20 different countries. He has authored a dozen books, including The Apostolic Congregation: Church Growth Recenceived for a New Generation (2009), and the tenth anniversary revised edition of The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West Again (2010). He has served the United Methodist Church in a variety of ways, ranging from pastor to executive for the Board of Discipleship’s section on evangelism, a role in which he oversaw the evangelistic program for the denomination’s 38,000 churches. He is the co-founder of the American Society for Church Growth and founder of The Academy for Evangelism in Theological Education. Hunter continues to teach courses in "The Cross-Cultural Communication of Christianity" and "The Christian Witness in Secular Societies."

Greg McRay, EA is the President and CEO of The Foundation Group. With a professional background in accounting, Greg began working extensively with nonprofit organizations in the early 1990s. This private practice continued to grow, leading to the decision to formalize into a professional services firm addressing the needs of nonprofit organizations nationwide. Teaming with a long-time friend and associate, The Foundation Group was launched in September 1995. Greg is credentialed by the Internal Revenue Service as an Enrolled Agent, licensed to practice tax cases before the federal government. A frequent writer and presenter, he specializes in the areas of nonprofit formation, compliance and leadership.

Dr. Jared Maier is Family Pastor at Rhea’s Mill Baptist Church in McKinney, TX. He has 13 years of local church ministry experience. Prior to serving at Rhea’s Mill, he was a Research and Teaching Assistant in the Sociology Department at Baylor University, focusing on the research of congregational growth, congregational decline, and multiracial congregations. He has worked on the first two waves of the Baylor Religion Survey, as well as specialized projects for Lifeway Research and NAMB. Jared possesses a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology, as well as a B.S. in Computer Science from Baylor University. He also has a M.DIV. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He previously served on the pastoral staff at Eastern Hills Baptist Church in Garland, TX and the First Baptist Church of Riesel, TX.

Dr. Nancy Mockros hosts leaders from around the world as part of the International Visitors Program run by the U.S. State Department, and travels often, working among immigrants. She has taught World Religions in the Dallas County Colleges and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Southern California, School of Cinema-Television. She has presented papers at the Society for Cinema and Media Studies Conference (London) and the American Academy of Religion, published a number of articles & has several manuscripts pending publication. Nancy holds a Ph.D. (Theology and Culture) from Fuller, two masters (Intercultural Studies) from TIU and a B.A. (Neurobiology & Physiology) from Northwestern University.

John Morehead is the Director of the Western Institute for Intercultural Studies, and Director of the Evangelical Chapter for the Foundation for Interreligious Diplomacy. He has an MA in Intercultural Studies from Salt Lake Theological Seminary. He is co-editor and contributing author for Encountering New Religious Movements: A Holistic Evangelical Approach (Kregel Academic, 2004). He is also the editor of Beyond the Burning Times: A Pagan and Christian in Dialogue (2008), and co-founder and editor of Sacred Tribes Journal, and also manages the Sacred Tribes Press electronic publishing for books on religion and culture. He has contributed to a variety of publications, including Perspectives on Post-Christendom Spiritualities (Morling College Press and Lausanne, 2010), Halos & Avatars: Playing Video Games with God (Westminster John Knox, 2010), Christian Handbook of Religion (Baker Academic, forthcoming) and Handbook of Hyper-Real Religions (Brill, forthcoming). John is the facilitator for the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization issue group on “The Church and the New Spiritualities,” and also serves on the national committee for the Mission America Coalition.

Barbara Oden founded the non-profit, Texas Multihousing Consulting, in 2007 where she mentors apartment missionaries in the state of Texas, Florida, Colorado and Arizona at present, as well as serving as the Multihousing Consultant for Dallas Baptist Association. Previously she was a missionary associate serving as Multihousing Church Planter Catalyst for the Dallas Baptist Association; as a missionary associate serving as Director of Church Extension for the Southern Nevada Baptist Association; as a Multihousing Church Planter for Metropolitan New York Baptist Association; and as a Multihousing Coordinator for the Union Baptist Association in Houston. Barbara is a graduate of Trinity Bible College in Clearwater, Florida.

Dr. Carol Olsen has served as a missionary in Bosnia-Herzegovina with the IMB, SBC and as a consultant with a women's ministry organization, the Jaye Martin Group in Houston, TX. She completed a M.A.B.S. from Dallas Seminary and a Ph.D. in Leadership and Church Ministry from Southern Seminary. Her dissertation on The Use of Social Power Bases by Southern Baptist Leaders used the IICM SITESCAPE typology to categorize churches according to rural, town, suburban, and urban settings in order to differentiate leader attitudes. Prior to her call to ministry, she completed a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver. Carol practiced law for a number of years in Colorado and has worked in the legal field in Texas and Kentucky. Dr. Olsen is a member of the Southern Baptist Research Fellowship, the North American Professors of Christian Education, and the Association for Women in Ministry Professionals.

Chaplain (Brigadier General) John M. Owings retired with more than thirty-one years of military service. His most recent assignment was as a full-time (GS-12) Special Staff Officer for the Adjutant General of Georgia (2003-2010). He was Battalion Chaplain for the 3/325th Airborne Infantry Regiment Battalion, 82d Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg, NC (1983-86), the 3/325th Airborne Combat Team, Southern European Allied Task Force (SETAF) in Vicenza (Italy, 1986-87), 2/67th Armor (MlA1) Battalion, 3rd Armored Divison in Friedberg (Germany, 1987-1 990) and 1/214th Field Artillery (155 Paladin), Elberton (1991 - 1999). He served as the 265th Engineer Group Chaplain (Decatur; 1999-2001), 78th Troop Command Chaplain (2001-2002), Deputy State Chaplain (2002-2003), State Chaplain 2004-2008 and Joint Forces Chaplain (2009-2010). BG Owings developed a "Strong Bonds Program" in 2003 which became the national model for enhancing interpersonal skills among single and married soldiers within the National Guard. For seven years he oversaw the expenditure of more than twenty-one million dollars which greatly reduced divorce and suicides rates within the Georgia Defense Department over a seven year period. The U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains, MG Doug Carver, acknowledged the program as being the best in the United States Army. In 2007 he responded to Governor Purdue and The Adjutant General's concern over suicides within the military. He established the "Regional Care Team" (RCT) Program which responded immediately to incident crises within the Georgia State Defense Force members, their families and civilian technicians. The RCT Program covered the entire state of Georgia. The Incident Command Center operated 24/7 for all emergencies during a three year period at a total cost of three million dollars. The concept was extremely successful and there have been no suicides within the Department of Defense during those three years. Georgia is the only state with this record. His most recent pursuits involve the future establishment of a non-profit "Warrior to Citizen" Campus at Callaway Gardens (Pine Mountain) in support of all Georgia Veterans, Military Service Members and their families. There is an ongoing intensive collaboration between the Veteran Innovation Center (VIC), Emory University, the Callaway Family, Atlanta First Baptist's "In Touch Ministry" and many other groups to include support from BENS (Business Executives for National Security). The venture program is considered by the National Guard Bureau (31) as a "Best Business Practice" for Warrior Care. Brigadier General John Owing is an ordained minister, having served in pastoral ministry with Southern Baptist Churches in Georgia and North Carolina. He has also served as a Senior Pastor in Germany and Northern Italy to diverse multi-ethnic congregations. He was Associate Pastor of the Division Memorial Chapel at Fort Bragg, NC (1983-86), Pastor of the Caserma Ederle Community Gospel Congregation in Vicenza, Italy (1986-87), Senior Pastor of the Friedberg Community Chapel (1987- 1990) and Senior Pastor of the Friedberg (Germany) Community Gospel Congregation (1987-1990). His civilian education includes: undergraduate degrees from Middle Georgia College (Cochran) and Georgia Southern University (Statesboro); a graduate Master of Divinity Degree (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, NC) and a post graduate Doctorate Degree (Erskine College, SC). His military education includes Officer Basic and Advance Courses to include the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

Dr. Glenn Smith has been the Executive Director of Christian Direction in Montreal since 1983 - a multi-faceted ministry committed to the spiritual transformation by Jesus Christ of all of life in the cities of the Francophone world. Glenn did his graduate studies in Patristics at the Université d’Ottawa and his doctoral thesis in contextual theology at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago. He received an honorary doctorate from the Union des universitées privées d’Haïti for his contribution to urban theological practice in that country. He is a professor of urban theology and missiology at the Institut de théologie pour la francophonie and at the Université chrétienne du Nord d’Haïti. He is a sessional lecturer at McGill University. He also is a professor at Bakke Graduate University. While directing the ministry of Christian Direction, Glenn Smith was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities from 1986 to 1990 and its President from 1990-1992. He was a member of the Protestant Committee of le Conseil superieur de l’éducation (Superior Council of Education) from 1986-1991 and its President during the two school years of 1992 and 1993. He was the President of the Protestant Partnership on Education from 1993 to 2004. From 1991-2005, he was a member of the Board of Directors of World Vision Canada. He is on the Board of IVCF: Canada. He chairs, Urbanus, an international partnership committed to providing reflective, practical and contextual education for urban practitioners in large French speaking cities. He was the senior associate for urban mission for the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelisation. He is co-author of three books: Espoir pour la ville; Dieu dans la cité, Éduquer les enfants: une vision protestante de l’éducation and L’histoire du protestantisme au Québec depuis 1960 and the editor of The Gospel and Urbanization, a 250 page reader that is into its 5th edition in French and English on urban ministry. He also wrote the book, Following Jesus: God invites us to transformative discipleship, which was published in English, French and Spanish. He edited, "Towards the transformation of our city/regions" in the LCWE Occasional papers series. His forth-coming book is entitled, City Air Makes You Free: Transforming the city through a fresh, biblical hermeneutic. He is the author of numerous articles on urban mission.

Dr. Art Taylor is a a retired Chaplain (Colonel) in the United States Army Reserve, 5th Brigade (HS) in Jacksonville, Fl. He is currently the pastor of Highland Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fl. He has also served as Director of Church-Community Ministries for the Jacksonville (FL) Baptist Association; and as a Youth Minister, Associate Pastor and Pastor at churches in Ohio, Kentucky and Florida. He has served as the Chairman of the Board of the Florida Baptist Credit Union; President of the Jacksonville (FL) Ministerial Association and the LaRue County Ministerial Association in Hodgenville, KY; and a member of the Interfaith Council of Jacksonville (FL); Community Relations Commission of the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services for the city of Jacksonville (FL); and Board of Directors for the Youth Crisis Center in Jacksonville (FL). Dr. Taylor has led conflict management seminars on behalf of the Pastoral Ministries Department of the Florida Baptist Convention. In his military service he has received many decorations and commendation medals. Dr. Taylor's military education included a Master of Strategic Studies diploma from the U.S. Army War college; and completion of the Base School for Chaplains, Chaplain Officer Advanced Course, and the Command and General Staff College. His civilian education includes a B.A. in History/Sociology from Jacksonville University, and a M.Div. and D.Min. from Southern Seminary.